Newsroom

Tehran Stock Exchange index climbs 74,000 points on Tuesday to 4.89 million

Tehran's benchmark index closed Tuesday, 30 Tir 1405 (21 July 2026), up 74,046 points, or 1.54 percent, at 4,887,551. The equal weighted index also rose about 26,000 points, a sign the gains were not confined to large caps but reached the broader market, with roughly 94 percent of symbols finishing higher. According to exchange board data, retail turnover in shares, rights offerings and equity funds reached about 11,492 billion tomans, and close to 3.7 trillion tomans of net real money inflow entered the equity market. The advance came even as markets stayed sensitive to the war and to swings in the currency and gold, with part of equity demand typically reflecting inflation expectations.

روزنامه تعادل · Jul 21, 2026

Free-market dollar rose about 0.8 percent on Tuesday, back near 189,000 tomans

The free-market US dollar in Tehran moved higher on Tuesday, 21 July 2026 (30 Tir 1405). It was recorded near 187,700 tomans before the market opened and by midday had risen about 0.8 percent from the prior day to around 189,300 tomans, based on live market tracking. The increase followed a pullback of roughly 5,000 tomans on Monday, 20 July. The dollar's weekly chart still shows a gain of about 2 percent, and its recent high was around 194,500 tomans on Saturday, 18 July. The currency market has stayed volatile amid the military tensions between Iran and the United States and regional instability.

فرارو · Jul 21, 2026

Gold and Coins Retreat on Tuesday, July 21; Emami Coin Near 182 Million Tomans, 18-Karat Gram Around 18.1 Million

Iran's gold and coin market edged lower on Tuesday, July 21, 2026 (30 Tir 1405). According to the daily Donya-e-Eqtesad, the full Bahar Azadi (Emami) gold coin traded at around 182 million tomans and the half coin at about 92.5 million tomans during the session, both slightly below Monday, July 20, when the Emami coin had ranged between 183 and 185 million tomans. A gram of 18-karat gold was priced at roughly 18.1 million tomans on Tuesday. The domestic pullback tracked a swing in the global gold ounce around the 4,000 dollar area (near its lowest level in several months) and a relatively calmer currency market, with the free-market dollar hovering around 189,000 tomans the same day. Domestic gold prices are a product of the global ounce and the exchange rate, and those two variables set the daily direction of the coin market.

روزنامه دنیای اقتصاد · Jul 21, 2026

Oman drafts a Strait of Hormuz traffic framework as Araghchi holds Muscat talks

As mediation efforts to revive a ceasefire continued, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met his Omani counterpart in Muscat on Saturday, with the talks reported to focus on the Strait of Hormuz. A source told CNN that Oman has drafted a tentative proposal to manage and monitor shipping traffic through the strait. According to reports, three negotiating tracks are running in parallel: indirect US-Iran talks mediated by Qatar in Doha, discussions on the nuclear timeline, and the Hormuz traffic-monitoring framework being drafted in Muscat. The strait has become the central sticking point, because fully reopening it could ease pressure on the oil market and on Iran's exchange rate.

Gulf News · Jul 21, 2026

US begins 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran; Shiraz and Khomein among new targets

US forces began a tenth consecutive night of air strikes on Iran at around midnight Tehran time on Tuesday, 30 Tir (4 p.m. Monday US Eastern time). US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the stated aim was to further degrade Iran's military capability to target commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian media reported explosions in Bandar Abbas, Shiraz and Sirik in the south and in Khomein in central Iran. According to CBS News, the fresh round follows the killing of three US service members and the wounding of nearly 100 in recent weeks. A US official told Axios that talks between the two countries were continuing even as the strikes went ahead. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran would pay "many times over" for every US service member killed. The continuing conflict and the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz have been the main driver of recent weeks' surge in global oil and gold prices and the sharp swings in Iran's currency market.

CBS News · Jul 21, 2026

Iran Rejects Implementing 14-Point Deal; 10-Day Ceasefire Proposal Would Lift Strait of Hormuz Restrictions

Mediators on Monday, July 20, 2026, presented Iran with a proposal for a 10-day ceasefire to lower tensions with the United States and return to talks on last month's interim deal. According to Reuters, citing a senior Iranian official, the plan would also include lifting restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz. However, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran would not implement the 14-point agreement after what he called Washington's violation of it. The White House stopped short of committing to a halt in strikes, with a US official saying Donald Trump is focused on making Iran pay for its breaches of the memorandum and its actions in the Strait of Hormuz, while adding that diplomacy remains open. The developments came as US strikes on Iran continued for a ninth consecutive night. The fate of the proposal matters directly to Iranian markets, since a prolonged war keeps a high risk premium on oil, gold and the currency.

CNN · Jul 21, 2026

Housing

Tehran's housing market cools in July; some owners cut asking prices 10 to 15%

Tehran's housing market cooled further in July 2026. According to field reports, a number of owners who need liquidity have cut their asking prices by 10 to 15%, and some have retreated from prices set two months earlier. Analysts say the sudden price jump at the start of this Iranian year pushed the market into stagnation and thin trading. Prices remain high overall, however: the average asking price per square meter is estimated at about 248 million tomans in districts 6 and 7 of central Tehran, about 176 million tomans in eastern Tehran for mid size units over 10 years old, and about 114.8 million tomans in southern Tehran. It is now hard to find an apartment below 100 million tomans per square meter in almost any part of Tehran.

دنیای اقتصاد · Jul 20, 2026

Mediators offer Iran a 10-day ceasefire to revive interim deal with the US

Reuters, citing a senior Iranian official, reported on Monday, July 20, 2026 that mediators had passed Tehran a proposal involving a 10-day ceasefire to find a way to revive the interim deal reached last month between Iran and the United States. The 14-point interim agreement struck in June envisaged a halt to hostilities, the resumption of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and up to 60 days of talks toward a final accord. It stalled over differing interpretations of its provisions, the revocation of waivers for Iranian oil exports, and disputes over Iran's frozen assets. Reuters said it was not immediately clear whether Tehran had accepted the proposal. The report coincided with Brent crude pulling back from around 90 dollars and a modest improvement in global risk appetite.

Al-Monitor · Jul 20, 2026

US reinforces F-16 and F-35 deployment to the region amid Iran war, drawing jets from European bases

The Pentagon on Monday, July 20, 2026, was reinforcing the US air presence in the region amid the intensifying war with Iran. According to reports, F-16 fighters from Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany and stealth F-35 fighters from RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom are being sent to the region. The deployments add to the largest US air and naval buildup in the region in years, which includes the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and dozens of combat aircraft. The reinforcement signals rising escalation and matters to Iran's markets through the war-risk premium on oil, gold, and the currency: as the odds of a wider conflict rise, pressure builds on global oil prices and safe-haven demand for gold.

PBS NewsHour · Jul 20, 2026

US strikes on Iran widen to the northwest; Tabriz hit for the first time as the IRGC reports attacks on Kuwait and Jordan

On the evening of Monday, July 20, 2026, the US strikes on Iran widened to the country's northwest. According to Al Jazeera, citing Iranian media, the ninth consecutive night of attacks brought reported explosions in Sirik, Jask and Chabahar, and for the first time in Tabriz; earlier strikes had focused on the southern coast and the Strait of Hormuz. The US military said the strikes targeted military command centres, air-defence systems, coastal-surveillance sites and missile and drone launch pads, and were aimed at degrading Iran's ability to target vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had fired a wave of missiles from Lorestan province at US bases and, according to the force, also carried out missile and drone strikes on targets in Kuwait and Jordan. The spread of the conflict to Kuwait, a Persian Gulf oil producer, adds to concern that the crisis could spill further into the regional energy market.

Al Jazeera · Jul 20, 2026

Iron & steel

Iran rebar prices edge higher on Monday amid currency and geopolitical pressure

Rebar prices in Iran's open market moved higher on Monday, 29 Tir 1405 (July 20, 2026), with most products trading slightly above the previous day. According to market tables, 16 mm ribbed rebar from Neyshabur was quoted at around 65,600 tomans per kilogram. Traders cited continued geopolitical tensions, currency volatility, and stronger inflation expectations as the main drivers of the increase. Base rebar prices on the Iran Mercantile Exchange are shaped by the same factors and by official and open market exchange rates, and swings in the domestic steel market remain tied to the path of the currency and the broader economy.

روزنامه تعادل · Jul 20, 2026

Cars

Iran's car market steadies on Monday as prices pause after days of gains

Iran's domestic car market steadied on Monday, 29 Tir 1405 (July 20, 2026), after several days of consecutive gains, with many Iran Khodro and Saipa models trading flat or slightly lower as gold and coin prices retreated. Market checks show Iran Khodro prices were little changed from the previous day; for example, the Peugeot 207 manual with hydraulic steering traded around 1.815 billion tomans and the Peugeot 207 automatic Panorama around 2.825 billion tomans. Market participants cited a calmer currency and gold market as the main reason for the stability.

قدس آنلاین · Jul 20, 2026

Iran's Exchange Center to hold a gold bar auction on Tuesday, July 21

Iran's Currency and Gold Exchange Center will hold a gold bar auction on Tuesday, 30 Tir 1405 (July 21, 2026), from 14:00 to 17:00. The deadline to deposit the participation guarantee is the end of Monday, 29 Tir. Each participant must place a guarantee of 5 billion tomans per lot, and the weekly purchase ceiling is capped at 25 gold bars per buyer. The auction continues the weekly bullion sales the center runs to manage the gold market, at a time when open market gold and coin prices are trading near record highs and the central bank is using the tool to meet investment demand.

روزنامه تعادل · Jul 20, 2026

Brent Reverses After Touching $90 as Tehran Signals Possible Talks

Global oil prices reversed lower on Monday, July 20, 2026, giving up all their gains after Brent briefly traded above $90 a barrel during the session. Brent for September delivery settled about 0.4 percent lower near $87.77 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate for August delivery fell about 0.9 percent to roughly $81.74. The turn came after Esmail Baghaei, spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry, told a news conference on Monday that negotiations with the United States could be pursued based on national interests, adding that intermediaries were still exchanging messages and that new proposals had reached Tehran. Traders read the remarks as a sign that a path back to talks might reopen and pared some of the geopolitical risk premium that had weighed on crude for weeks. The shift matters for Iran's markets too. Alongside the easing tension, the free market dollar in Tehran retreated on Monday to around 187,000 to 190,000 tomans, and selling pressure carried into the domestic gold and coin market.

رویترز · Jul 20, 2026

Free-market dollar retreats Monday, easing to the 188,000 to 190,000 toman range

The free-market US dollar fell on Monday, July 20, 2026 (29 Tir 1405) from the previous day, trading in the 188,000 to 190,000 toman range according to market reports, a drop of about 2 to 3 percent from the roughly 193,000 toman level of Sunday. The rate recorded on Sahmino's price feed as of 2:30 p.m. the same day was about 188,000 toman, down close to 2.7 percent. According to Donya-e-Eqtesad, other currencies also retreated: the UAE dirham eased to about 52,390 toman and the pound to about 256,000 toman, while the free-market euro traded near 217,000 toman. The currency decline coincided with falling gold and coin prices in the domestic market and a rise in the Tehran Stock Exchange main index the same day.

دنیای اقتصاد · Jul 20, 2026

Rubio: US Remains Open to a Diplomatic Solution with Iran, but Tehran's Behaviour Must Change

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday (July 19), before departing for the ASEAN summit in Manila and as the US military carried out a ninth consecutive night of strikes on Iran, that Washington remains open to a diplomatic solution with Iran. He added: "We've tried multiple times with Iran, and we'll continue to try. If that door opens, we'll be happy to see it open." Rubio stressed the openness is conditional, saying Iran's behaviour has to change in order for the US position to change, and accused Iran of firing missiles and drones at ships. Despite the remarks, there have been no public signs of diplomacy over the past week as the two sides continued exchanging strikes. The uncertain outlook for negotiations is a key driver of swings in Iran's currency and gold markets.

The Jerusalem Post · Jul 20, 2026

CENTCOM: US Service Member Killed in Northern Iraq and Troops' Remains Located in Jordan; Ninth Night of US Strikes on Iran Completed

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said a US service member was killed in northern Iraq by a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone. CENTCOM also said the remains of soldiers were located in Jordan, where a separate Iranian attack left two US soldiers dead and one missing. CENTCOM said the US military has completed its ninth consecutive night of strikes on Iran, targeting command centres, air defence systems, missile facilities and communications networks. Explosions were heard across several parts of Iran early Monday (July 20), Donald Trump said Iran had been hit "very hard," and a fresh wave of US strikes was reported. The continuing confrontation is the main driver of the surge in oil prices and of risk across the region's markets.

Al Jazeera · Jul 20, 2026

Gold and coin retreat Monday; 18-carat gram slips below 18.3 million toman, Emami coin near 185 million

Iran's gold and coin market pulled back from near its record highs on Monday, 20 July 2026 (29 Tir 1405). The 18-carat gram opened the day around 18,765,000 toman and by midday (about 11:30 local time) traded near 18,282,000 toman, a drop of roughly 2.6% from the previous day. The Emami coin, which had changed hands near 188,500,000 toman on Sunday (28 Tir), eased to about 184,990,000 toman on Monday, down around 2.2%. The retreat came while the global gold ounce held little changed near $4,018, close to its nine-month low. Today's domestic decline was therefore tied mainly to a cooling of buying demand and swings in the free-market dollar, which traded in a range of about 190,000 to 193,000 toman, rather than to the world price.

فرارو · Jul 20, 2026

Tehran Stock Exchange rebounds Monday; TEDPIX rises about 1.2% after three days of losses

Tehran's benchmark TEDPIX index returned to positive territory on Monday, 20 July 2026 (29 Tir 1405), after three consecutive days of losses. Trading opened with a jump of more than 85,000 points (about 1.6%) in the first minutes, lifting the index toward 4,833,000. By around 11:30 local time the main index held a gain of about 1.2% at roughly 4,810,000 points, while the over-the-counter Iran Farabourse index (IFX) rose about 1.6%. The equity market had corrected around 10% over the preceding sessions. At the open, banking, pharmaceutical, food, base-metals and cement stocks drew increased demand.

خبرگزاری دانشجو · Jul 20, 2026

Power blackouts hit Iranian cities amid war and heatwave; authorities urge lower use

Power and water outages returned to parts of Iran on Saturday, 19 July, as a severe summer heatwave coincided with military strikes on facilities in the south of the country, turning hours-long blackouts into a daily reality. According to Al Jazeera, residents in several provinces reported multi-hour power cuts at the peak of the heat, while officials insisted the grid remained stable. Authorities called on subscribers to cut their electricity use and warned that demand would keep rising in the days ahead as temperatures climb. Earlier, power shortages had already disrupted output at some large industries, including steel.

الجزیره (Al Jazeera) · Jul 20, 2026

UN chief urges Iran and US to resume talks urgently as June 17 ceasefire collapses

The UN Secretary-General has urged Iran and the United States to resume negotiations urgently and settle their differences through diplomacy, after an escalation in fighting and a renewed halt to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Under a memorandum the two sides signed on 17 June, a 60-day ceasefire was to take effect: Iran would allow free passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, while the US would lift oil sanctions and its naval blockade of Iranian ports. The US president announced on 8 July that the ceasefire was over. Qatar and Pakistan are among the main mediators between the two sides, and Tehran has filed a formal complaint against Washington with the Security Council and the UN Secretary-General.

اخبار سازمان ملل (UN News) · Jul 20, 2026

Ninth Consecutive Night of US Strikes on Iran Hits Persian Gulf Ports; US Military Death Toll Rises to 16

The US military began a wave of strikes against Iran for a ninth consecutive night on Sunday evening, 19 July 2026. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes would continue to degrade Iran's military ability to threaten vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. According to reports, the strikes hit several cities, including Persian Gulf ports and coastal towns such as Bandar Mahshahr, Bandar Imam Khomeini and Bushehr, as well as Jask and Sirik along the Strait of Hormuz and Tabriz in the northwest. The targeting of Persian Gulf oil and petrochemical ports adds a new dimension to earlier threats to strike Iran's energy infrastructure. CENTCOM also said the US military death toll had risen to 16, confirming that two service members were killed on 17 July at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, with one more missing. The continued and widening strikes keep pressure on oil markets and on Iran's economic backdrop elevated.

CNN · Jul 20, 2026

IAEA Reviewing Reports of Overnight Strike on Darkhovin Nuclear Plant Construction Site; No Radiological Risk Reported

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Sunday, 19 July 2026, that it is reviewing reports of an overnight attack on the construction site of a planned nuclear power plant at Darkhovin in southwestern Iran. The agency said the attack occurred early Sunday and, based on an initial assessment, posed no radiological risk, because the facility is in the very early stages of construction and contained no nuclear material when IAEA inspectors last visited. Director General Rafael Grossi again called for maximum military restraint in the vicinity of all nuclear-related facilities, and said the agency had contacted Iranian authorities and would share more information as it became available. The report comes amid intensifying US strikes on Iran and follows an earlier report of damage at the Bushehr nuclear plant site.

ANI · Jul 19, 2026

CENTCOM: US Strikes Iran for Eighth Consecutive Night, Hitting Air Defenses and Missile and Drone Depots

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces struck targets in Iran for the eighth consecutive night early on Sunday, 19 July 2026. According to CENTCOM's official release, the strikes, carried out on Saturday evening US time (18 July, 11:30 p.m. Eastern), hit Iranian coastal surveillance and air defense facilities, maritime capabilities, and missile and drone storage sites. CENTCOM said the operation was a response to a Friday (17 July) attack on a base in Jordan that killed two US service members and left one missing, and that it also targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces it says were responsible for that attack. Global oil and gold markets and Iran's domestic currency market have spent recent weeks under the shadow of the confrontation and the Strait of Hormuz crisis.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) · Jul 19, 2026

Tehran stocks fall for a third day on Sunday; the overall index slips about 22,000 points to around 4.755 million

Tehran Stock Exchange's overall index (TEDPIX) closed Sunday, 19 July 2026, down about 21,784 points, roughly 0.46 percent, at around 4,755,500. It was the third straight daily decline, but far milder than Saturday 18 July, when the index shed more than 2 percent and about 120,000 points; selling pressure eased somewhat. The over-the-counter Iran Fara Bourse index (IFX) also fell Sunday, down about 210 points, roughly 0.56 percent, to around 37,293. Market reports pointed to continued real-money outflows and seller dominance in trading. The pullback came amid the ongoing military tensions and swings in the currency and gold markets; on the same day the free-market dollar hovered near 193,000 tomans and coin prices stayed close to record highs.

خبرگزاری دانشجو · Jul 19, 2026

Gold and coin near record highs on Sunday: coin around 190 million tomans, 18-carat gold near 19 million tomans per gram

Iran's domestic gold and coin market traded near its all-time highs on Sunday, 19 July 2026 (28 Tir 1405). According to the Gold, Coin and Currency Information Network, at midday a full Bahar Azadi coin (new design) changed hands at 191,990,000 tomans in Tehran's open market, and each gram of 18-carat gold at 18,861,000 tomans. Based on the live data Sahmino tracks, by Sunday evening 18-carat gold had eased to about 18,776,000 tomans per gram and the Emami coin to about 188,980,000 tomans, a slight pullback from Saturday's jump. The global gold ounce, meanwhile, stood near the top of its range at about 4,018 dollars. Domestic gold and coin prices remain a product of two factors, the exchange rate and the global gold price, at a time when the ongoing military tensions are feeding safe-haven demand.

نفت ما · Jul 19, 2026

Free-market dollar around 193,000 tomans; sharp swings on Sunday amid the war

Tehran's currency market saw sharp swings on Sunday, 19 July 2026 (28 Tir 1405). According to the Gold, Coin and Currency Information Network, the free-market US dollar rose early in the day's trading to 195,000 tomans, close to the market's historic highs. Based on the live data Sahmino tracks, the dollar returned to around 193,000 tomans by late Sunday afternoon, down about 0.8 percent from the previous day. The Alanchand exchange site likewise reported the dollar remittance rate in the same range, just below 193,000 tomans. The swings come as the market remains under pressure from the ongoing military tensions and regional instability. The latest rates are available on Sahmino's prices page.

نفت ما · Jul 19, 2026

Analysts: Iran's gas fields and petrochemical industry are its most vulnerable economic link in the war

According to an analysis by Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, Iran's oil sector can likely weather a temporary production shut-in, but its gas fields and petrochemical industry are the most vulnerable link in the country's economy during the current war. The shared South Pars field supplies roughly 70 to 75 percent of Iran's gas production and feeds much of the country's petrochemical and gasoline output. According to Argus, onshore processing facilities at South Pars and petrochemical complexes in the Asaluyeh area were damaged in air strikes this year, with estimates pointing to a fall of about 100,000 to 120,000 barrels a day in gas-condensate output. Petrochemicals are a pillar of Iran's non-oil exports and among the heaviest-weighted sectors on the Tehran Stock Exchange, so lasting damage to the gas and petrochemical chain could pressure both the country's foreign-currency earnings and the valuation of a large part of the bourse.

Columbia Center on Global Energy Policy · Jul 19, 2026

Iron & steel

War and power crisis cripple Iran's steel output as Mobarakeh and Khouzestan Steel fall idle

According to a report by the analytics firm GMK Center, the Iran-US war and damage to the power grid have sharply reduced Iran's steel production capacity. The country's two largest electricity consumers, Mobarakeh Steel in Isfahan and Khouzestan Steel, have effectively fallen out of production after being hit by air strikes; Mobarakeh previously drew about 1,400 megawatts and Khouzestan about 600. The first damage to these complexes dates back to the air strikes of March 27, which targeted their power infrastructure and storage. On these estimates, returning Mobarakeh to its pre-war capacity could take about four years. Steel is among the heaviest-weighted sectors on the Tehran Stock Exchange and a major Iranian non-oil export; the halt at these two large complexes affects both domestic steel supply and the country's foreign-currency earnings.

GMK Center · Jul 19, 2026

Iran's oil discount to China widens; unsold Iranian crude on the water rises to around 120 million barrels

With China's independent "teapot" refiners buying cautiously and favoring cheaper Qatari, Iraqi and UAE crude, unsold Iranian oil has been piling up at sea. According to tanker-tracking data cited by Bloomberg, roughly 70 million barrels of Iranian oil sit on tankers near Chinese ports and in floating storage near Malaysia and Singapore awaiting discharge, and total Iranian oil on the water, including floating storage, is estimated at nearly 120 million barrels. The discount on Iranian crude to the Brent benchmark has widened to more than $6 a barrel for October-loading cargoes. The trend adds to the pressure on Iran's oil revenue.

Bloomberg (via Yahoo Finance) · Jul 19, 2026

Crypto

Tether freezes about $131 million in crypto linked to Iran's central bank

After the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added four wallets tied to Iran's central bank to its sanctions list on 14 July 2026, Tether froze about $131 million of USDT stablecoin held in those wallets. According to published reports, the move brought the total blocked USDT linked to Iran's central bank to roughly $475 million. Because Tether controls the USDT contracts, it can block an address and halt transfers of its tokens, even though the balance remains visible on the public blockchain. The sanctions followed the collapse of the ceasefire and the resumption of strikes.

Decrypt · Jul 19, 2026

Strike on Jask desalination plant cuts drinking water for about 10,000 people in southern Hormozgan

Officials in Iran's Hormozgan province said on Saturday, July 18, 2026, that a strike damaging a seawater desalination plant in the Bonji area of Jask County had cut off drinking water for about 10,000 people across nearly 20 coastal villages. According to the provincial water and wastewater company, the plant's seawater intake station and an electrical transformer were knocked out; the facility had a production capacity of about 3,150 cubic meters of water per day. The damage was reported during overnight strikes along Iran's southern coast, with temperatures in Hormozgan exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. US Central Command has not specifically addressed the reported damage and says its operations target military capabilities and threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials called the strike a humanitarian violation and said emergency measures such as trucking in water and drawing on limited groundwater were under way. Independent verification of the details remains difficult.

Daily Sabah · Jul 19, 2026

Iran's Energy Ministry urges a 10 percent cut in power use as heat and war damage strain the grid

Amid a heatwave and war-related damage to infrastructure, Iran's Energy Ministry asked consumers to cut their electricity use by at least 10 percent. According to the ministry, power demand is expected to exceed 75,500 megawatts in the coming days. It urged households to set air conditioners to 25 degrees Celsius, switch off unnecessary appliances and shift heavy usage away from peak hours. Average temperatures between 14 and 18 July 2026 were forecast at around 41 degrees Celsius. Mohammad Allah-Dad, chief executive of the state power company Tavanir, said parts of the country's critical electricity infrastructure had been seriously damaged and that grid capacity had fallen by about 4,200 megawatts.

Anadolu Agency · Jul 19, 2026

Iran Health Ministry: US strikes have killed at least 50 and wounded more than 500 since 6 July

Iran's Health Ministry said on Saturday, 18 July 2026, that US attacks on the country since 6 July have killed at least 50 people and wounded more than 500. According to the figures, the dead include 5 women and 2 children under the age of 18, while the wounded include 32 women and 18 children. The count is up from the ministry's earlier tally of 35 killed and 300 wounded. The figures were released hours after CENTCOM's seventh consecutive night of airstrikes on targets in Iran, which the command said struck surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage and maritime capabilities.

Al Jazeera · Jul 18, 2026

Iran's Health Ministry: at least 35 killed and 300 wounded in recent US strikes

Hossein Kermanpour, a spokesperson for Iran's Health Ministry, said on Friday, July 17, that at least 35 people had been killed and 300 others wounded in US strikes on Iran this month. Iranian officials say US forces have carried out hundreds of air attacks across various parts of the country over the past week. The official toll was announced as nightly strikes continued and targeting widened to civilian infrastructure, including water and power facilities in the south of the country. The ongoing military conflict between Iran and the United States has increased pressure on the region's financial and energy markets and fueled rising prices in Iran's domestic currency and gold markets.

Deccan Herald · Jul 18, 2026

Senior IRGC commander warns of a full-scale offensive if US strikes continue for two or three more days

Mohsen Rezaei, a senior commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned on Friday, July 17, that if US military strikes on Iran continue for another two or three days, Tehran will move into a phase of "full-scale offensive operations." The remarks came as the United States carried out a seventh consecutive night of strikes on Iranian territory. According to a statement by US Central Command (CENTCOM), the strikes began around 19:00 GMT and used fighter aircraft, drones and warships to hit Iran's "surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage and maritime capabilities." Reported target locations included Jask, Sirik, Bushehr, Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Ahvaz and Yazd. The recent military escalation between Iran and the United States has pressured Iran's domestic currency and gold markets and pushed global oil prices higher.

The Week · Jul 18, 2026

Iran declares full suspension of its commitments under the Islamabad memorandum, accusing the US of violations

Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's deputy foreign minister, said on Saturday, 18 July 2026 that Iran had suspended all of its commitments under the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, accusing the United States of violating the agreement. He said the US had violated and suspended all of its own commitments within the framework, and that Iran had likewise suspended its commitments and was no longer implementing them. The memorandum, signed last month under Pakistani mediation, reportedly comprised 14 points, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz, lifting the US naval blockade and beginning a phased de-escalation. The suspension came after seven consecutive nights of US strikes and waves of Iranian missile and drone responses. The unraveling of this diplomatic framework carries direct weight for domestic markets: on the same Saturday, 27 Tir, the free-market dollar closed above 193,000 tomans and Tehran's main stock index ended down more than 2 percent.

ANI News · Jul 18, 2026

Iran's currency and gold markets close higher on Saturday, July 18; free-market dollar above 193,000 toman and 18-carat gold jumps more than 3 percent

Iran's free-market currency and gold markets closed higher on Saturday, July 18, 2026, as military tension and fears over the Strait of Hormuz crisis persisted. By Saturday evening the free-market dollar traded around 193,200 toman, up about 2.4 percent on the day and near its all-time record. Tether in the domestic market stood around 193,000 toman, moving in line with the free dollar. In the gold market, each gram of 18-carat gold jumped more than 3.6 percent to around 18.9 million toman, while the Emami coin rose nearly 1.9 percent to around 188.5 million toman. The rally is attributed mainly to the weakening rial and the wartime climate, while the global gold price had settled around 4,000 dollars an ounce at the end of last week.

اقتصاد آنلاین · Jul 18, 2026

US strikes widen across southern Iran; Qeshm Island and the Bandar Abbas highway artery hit

As the United States pressed a seventh straight night of strikes on Iran, the attacks widened across the south of the country early on Saturday, July 18, 2026. According to Iran's state news agency, overnight strikes damaged two tunnels and a bridge along one of the main highways toward Bandar Abbas, disrupting traffic on that key artery; Bandar Abbas sits near the narrowest point of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran also reported a strike on the strategic Qeshm Island inside the strait. The targeted areas in the south were reported to include Ahvaz, Bushehr, Bandar Abbas, Qeshm, Dashti, Bostan, Sirik and Bandar-e Lengeh. US Central Command had earlier said this phase hit surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage and maritime capabilities. The strikes' proximity to Bandar Abbas and the Strait of Hormuz deepens concerns over further disruption to the region's exports and maritime traffic.

Associated Press · Jul 18, 2026

Tehran Stock Exchange main index falls more than 2% on Saturday, slipping into the 4.7 million channel

The Tehran Stock Exchange main index (TEDPIX) fell about 107,000 points (close to 2.2 percent) at the open on Saturday, 27 Tir 1405 (18 July 2026), slipping back into the 4.7 million point channel. By around midday the same day, according to Sahmino price data, the decline had deepened to roughly 2.5 percent and a level near 4,773,000 points, while the over-the-counter Iran Farabourse index (IFX) was also down about 2 percent. Selling pressure was seen across most listed symbols, with reports indicating roughly two thirds of the market's tickers in the red. The banking, automotive, basic metals, chemical products, refining and investment company groups played the biggest role in the index's fall. The drop extended last week's downtrend and coincided with the Iran-U.S. military escalation and a fresh record for the free-market dollar around 192,000 tomans.

اقتصادنیوز · Jul 18, 2026

Iran's free-market dollar nears 193,000 toman on Saturday, a fresh record high

Iran's free-market US dollar rose about 2.4 percent on Saturday, July 18, 2026, to the 193,000 to 194,000 toman range, its highest level on record. According to Sahmino data, the dollar traded at 193,200 toman by around 11 a.m. Saturday, about 4,600 toman higher than the previous day. At the Iran Currency and Gold Exchange Center, the transfer (hawala) dollar sell rate rose to 150,237 toman on Saturday, crossing the 150,000 toman mark for the first time. The currency's jump comes as the military conflict between Iran and the United States continues and most vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains halted, lifting demand for safe-haven assets such as foreign currency and gold.

اقتصادنیوز · Jul 18, 2026

Iran's domestic gold and coin market rose on Saturday amid war tensions

Gold and coin prices rose in Iran's domestic market on Saturday, 18 July 2026. According to market reports, each gram of 18-karat gold traded at around 18,480,000 tomans and 24-karat gold at around 24,640,000 tomans, while the mesghal (the melted-gold benchmark) reached about 80,000,000 tomans. In the coin market, the new-design (Emami) coin was priced at about 185,500,000 tomans, the old-design coin at about 181,500,000 tomans, the half-coin at about 95,000,000 tomans and the quarter-coin at about 53,500,000 tomans. In the currency market, the free-market US dollar traded around 191,000 tomans and Tether around 192,000 tomans. The gains came as the Iran-US military confrontation and the Strait of Hormuz crisis continued; on the same day, global gold stood near 4,006 dollars an ounce.

اکوایران · Jul 18, 2026

Satellite images show damage in Bushehr nuclear plant complex; IAEA's Grossi warns of crossing red line

A comparison of European Sentinel-2 satellite images captured on July 7 and July 12 shows newly formed impact scars inside the Bushehr nuclear power plant complex and damage to nearby support facilities. The analysis, published on Friday, July 17, points to US strikes during the ongoing war on the plant, Iran's only operating nuclear power station, located on the Persian Gulf coast. Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said the impact appears to have hit a smaller structure within the broader premises, possibly a laboratory or auxiliary building, and did not affect the reactor itself, with no casualties reported. He warned that a direct hit on an operating reactor could trigger a severe radiological incident and repeatedly called for maximum military restraint. Iran's nuclear regulator said the reactor continued to operate normally and that no radiation release was recorded. The market relevance lies in the tail risk: any nuclear incident on the northern Persian Gulf coast would be catastrophic for the region and its energy corridor, and could move oil and gold prices.

الجزیره · Jul 18, 2026

US Strikes Iran for a Seventh Straight Night; CENTCOM Says Underground Weapons Stores and Military Sites Hit

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces struck targets in Iran early on Saturday, July 18, 2026, marking the seventh consecutive night of the renewed bombing campaign. According to CENTCOM, the strikes hit "surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage, and maritime capabilities." Iranian state media, citing senior Revolutionary Guards commander Mohsen Rezaei, warned that Iran would move to a phase of "full-scale offensive operations" if US strikes continued for "another two or three days." The recent military escalation, alongside disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, has added to pressure on energy and currency markets.

Al Jazeera · Jul 18, 2026

US strikes bridges around Bandar Abbas and a maritime control tower at Chabahar port

Early on Friday, July 17, 2026, in a sixth consecutive night of strikes, US forces hit several bridges and other infrastructure in Iran's southern Hormozgan province. According to news networks, the strikes appeared aimed at cutting road and rail links between Bandar Abbas, Iran's main port, and routes leading to Tehran. Iranian state television reported at least 7 people killed. The same wave also damaged a maritime control tower at Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman, a port that lies outside the Strait of Hormuz and is operated jointly with India. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it struck dozens of targets in its latest wave.

NBC News · Jul 17, 2026

Gold and coin prices on Friday, July 17: 18-karat gold near 18,245,000 toman, Emami coin at 186 million toman

On Friday, July 17, 2026, each gram of 18-karat gold in Iran's market was priced at about 18,245,000 toman, slightly lower than the previous day. Each gram of 24-karat gold was quoted at around 24,326,000 toman. In the coin market, the full Emami gold coin reached about 186,010,000 toman and the Bahar Azadi coin around 180,000,000 toman. The decline in domestic gold tracked the drop in global gold, which traded below $4,000 and near $3,972 an ounce on Friday. Iran's official currency and gold market is closed on Thursdays and Fridays, so these quotes are based on informal trading and the global market.

روزنامه دنیای اقتصاد · Jul 17, 2026

Crypto

Tether traded around 192,000 tomans in Iran on Friday, above the latest free-market dollar rate

Tether, the dollar stablecoin, traded around 192,000 tomans on Iranian crypto exchanges on Friday, July 17, 2026 (26 Tir 1405). Domestic sources put the rate between roughly 191,700 and 192,400 tomans, up close to 2% from 24 hours earlier. With Iran's cash currency and gold markets closed on Thursdays and Fridays, tether effectively serves as the only live gauge of the exchange rate over the weekend. At about 192,000 tomans it sits above the latest free-market dollar rate (around 188,600 tomans at Thursday's close on 25 Tir). The gap may signal precautionary demand amid the escalating Iran-U.S. military conflict, as traders lacking an open official currency market use the stablecoin to hedge weekend risk.

نوبیتکس · Jul 17, 2026

US Strikes Iran for Sixth Straight Night; Infrastructure Hit and at Least 7 Reported Killed

US forces struck targets across southern and western Iran early on Friday, 17 July 2026, for a sixth consecutive night. According to reports, the damaged infrastructure included an airport, several bridges and a railway station, and Iranian state media said at least 7 people were killed and about 20 wounded (some reports put the death toll at 8). Tehran warned that the war would spread if the strikes continued. The attacks are part of the wider US-Iran confrontation over the Strait of Hormuz and the naval blockade of Iranian ports, and have kept pressure on global oil and gold markets.

Al Jazeera · Jul 17, 2026

Planned power cuts roll out across Iran; Tavanir reports a 4,200 MW drop in grid capacity

Iran's state power company Tavanir has begun a nationwide program of "planned power outages," with electricity restrictions in force in Tehran since July 15. Tavanir officials say rationing schedules are announced 48 hours in advance. Tavanir has reported that the country's grid capacity fell by about 4,200 megawatts after recent strikes, with more than 2,000 points in the power infrastructure damaged. The company estimates the financial damage to the electricity industry has exceeded 60 trillion tomans (close to one billion dollars at the free-market rate). Restrictions on industrial power use have also widened and could weigh on output and employment. Beyond the war damage, Iran's power industry has faced a structural crisis for years: underinvestment, ageing facilities and gas shortages, alongside intense summer heat and rising demand, fuel widespread outages every year.

Voice of Emirates · Jul 17, 2026

US-Iran tension over the Strait of Hormuz eases; a fresh round of talks is set for Saturday in Oman

After the most intense round of US strikes on Iran and Tehran's responses, tension over the Strait of Hormuz began to ease by the evening of Thursday, July 16, and unlike earlier in the week when talks were described as deadlocked, a fresh round of negotiations is now set for Saturday, July 18, in Oman. According to international media, the US side will include Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, while Iran will be represented by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Washington wants Iran to declare publicly, before any talks on its nuclear program, that the Strait of Hormuz is open and that commercial vessels will not be attacked. Oman had earlier proposed managing traffic through the strait via two separate corridors and without imposing tolls. The secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council stressed on Friday, July 17, that Iran would respond to any attack on its infrastructure, including by striking Israel. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to its lowest since June 28, and the currency, gold and oil markets are awaiting the outcome of the Oman talks.

Deccan Chronicle · Jul 17, 2026

Araghchi travels to Doha for late Qatari emir's mourning; a condolence visit, not US talks

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi led a delegation to Doha on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 15, 2026, to offer condolences over the death of Qatar's former emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Sheikh Hamad, who ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013, died on Sunday, July 12, at the age of 74. Before departing, Araghchi issued a message of sympathy to Qatar's current emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Al Thani family, and he met senior Qatari officials in Doha. The trip came days after Qatar said it was targeted by an Iranian attack on Sunday, and amid a fresh surge in Iran-US military tensions. Although Tehran's currency market had in recent days been watching for possible "Doha talks," the visit was a ceremonial condolence call, not a sign of direct Iran-US negotiations. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman had earlier said Tehran has no plans for talks and is focused on defense.

Middle East Eye · Jul 16, 2026

Iran's Health Ministry: latest US strikes killed at least 35 and wounded more than 300

Iran's Health Ministry said on Thursday, July 16, 2026, that recent US strikes on the country's southern provinces had killed at least 35 people and wounded more than 300. The figure is a sharp rise from the ministry's earlier count (14 killed and 78 wounded on July 9) and points to the intensity of the new wave of attacks, which followed the reimposition of the US naval blockade and a widening of the bombing campaign. Washington has said the strikes are a response to the targeting of vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and are meant to degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping. The escalation has direct consequences for Iran's markets: it has kept Brent crude near 85 dollars a barrel, its highest in about a month, and adds fresh pressure on the free-market exchange rate and domestic inflation.

WINK News (AP) · Jul 16, 2026

US Treasury Sanctions Global Network Procuring Weapons for the IRGC; Seven Targets Designated

The US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control on Wednesday, July 15, sanctioned seven individuals and entities over their alleged role in an international network procuring weapons for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. According to the Treasury, the network used foreign aviation and transport firms, financial conduits and travel coordinators to obscure the IRGC's role in procurement and to move material and personnel. Those designated include Behrouz Namazi, general director of the Tehran-based Nika Jet Company; Nigeria-based Vanguard Tactical Supply; Italy-based Dounia Ettaib; Russia-based Avratek; and two Russian nationals. The action was taken under Executive Order 13382 and builds on earlier designations of May 8 and June 10, 2026, announced as tensions in the Strait of Hormuz intensified.

U.S. Department of the Treasury · Jul 16, 2026

18-karat gold near 18.4 million tomans Thursday, Emami coin at 185 million

On Thursday, 16 July 2026 (25 Tir 1405), a gram of 18-karat gold was priced at about 18,433,000 tomans based on rates published by Tehran's gold and jewellery union. The Emami coin traded near 185 million tomans and melted gold (abshode) around 79,850,000 tomans. Domestic gold and coin prices remain driven jointly by the exchange rate and regional tensions. Globally, spot gold slipped about 0.7 percent on Thursday to 4,028 dollars an ounce. The ounce eased even as a surge in oil prices tied to the Strait of Hormuz crisis revived worries about inflation and the prospect of tighter monetary policy. The Tehran Stock Exchange was closed on Thursday.

اکو ایران · Jul 16, 2026

Free-market dollar hovers near 188,000 tomans Thursday as market watches Doha talks

The free-market US dollar traded near 188,000 tomans on Thursday, 16 July 2026 (25 Tir 1405), holding around its highest level in a month. Some Iranian business outlets quoted the open-market rate as high as 188,600 tomans, while the UAE dirham rose about 30 tomans to roughly 51,100 tomans. Sahmino's own latest data likewise showed the dollar near 188,000 tomans on Thursday afternoon, little changed on the day. Traders say political and security headlines are the dominant driver of the rate for now, with the Iran US conflict and continued strikes keeping safe-haven demand elevated. The market is also watching mediation talks in Doha, whose outcome could shape the currency's near-term path. The Tehran Stock Exchange was closed for the Thursday weekend.

روزنامه شرق · Jul 16, 2026

Naval blockade halts oil loadings at Kharg for the first prolonged stretch since the war began

According to Bloomberg, the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, reimposed this week, has halted crude oil loadings at the Kharg Island terminal for the first prolonged stretch since the war began. Kharg accounts for roughly 90 percent of Iran's crude exports, and the loading halt has put the terminal's storage capacity under pressure. Tanker-tracking data show Iran's oil storage levels are rising, though some energy analysts say production shut-ins are not necessarily imminent. Control of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's oil and gas supply passed before the war, has become the central point of contention between Iran and the United States and has weighed on global oil prices.

Bloomberg · Jul 16, 2026

Trump: Iran frees detained American woman; Dena Karari has left the country

US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday, July 15 (US time) that Iran had released an American citizen, Dena Karari, who had been detained since December 2024, and allowed her to leave the country. Trump wrote that she is now safely outside of Iran and in good condition, and thanked Iran for the gesture of goodwill. Karari, a 53-year-old dual national, had traveled to Iran to visit family and had her passports seized when she tried to leave. According to her lawyer, Jared Genser, she had suffered a major heart attack the week before her release. The release was announced amid an escalation of military tensions between Iran and the United States.

CNN · Jul 16, 2026

US strikes on Iran widen; targets around Tehran and the missile-program province hit

US forces widened their strikes on Iran on Thursday, July 16, 2026, hitting targets around Tehran and in a province that hosts Iran's missile program, according to news reports. Air defenses were activated in parts of Tehran early Thursday, and residents reported hearing an explosion. Iran's Health Ministry said more than 260 people were wounded in the latest round of US strikes. A spokesman for Iran's armed forces general staff again said US interference in the Strait of Hormuz is a red line, and that Tehran would target infrastructure across the region if Washington attacks Iranian infrastructure. Higher oil prices and pressure on Iranian markets have continued amid the tensions.

CNN · Jul 16, 2026

US-Iran diplomatic deadlock: Trump says he is not negotiating for now but claims Iran wants a deal

With US military strikes on Iran continuing, the diplomatic track between the two countries remains deadlocked. On Wednesday, July 15, 2026, US President Donald Trump said he was not currently seeking talks with Iran and blamed Tehran's negotiating team for the failure to reach a deal, while also claiming that Iran wanted to meet and make an agreement. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, for his part, had earlier said there was no plan for talks with the United States at present and that the country was focused on defense. This uncertainty over the negotiating path is one of the most important factors for Iran's currency and gold markets, with domestic traders adjusting prices on any sign of dialogue or renewed escalation.

CNBC · Jul 16, 2026

Trump threatens US may seize Kharg Island, the terminal handling about 90% of Iran's oil exports

US President Donald Trump has again raised the prospect of seizing Kharg Island, Iran's main crude oil export terminal in the Persian Gulf, saying the United States may take control of it, as tensions with Tehran escalate. His remarks came alongside the reimposed naval blockade of Iran's ports and continued US strikes as of Wednesday, July 15, 2026. Kharg is the principal chokepoint for Iran's oil exports, with media reports estimating that about 90% of the country's crude is loaded there, so any threat against it bears directly on Iran's foreign-currency revenue and the oil market. No strike on Kharg's energy infrastructure has been reported so far, but US officials say the option remains on the table. Rising concern over Kharg and the Strait of Hormuz kept global oil prices near a one-month high through Thursday, July 16.

Al Jazeera · Jul 16, 2026

US disables first tanker under Iran port blockade; 'Belma' hit en route to Kharg Island

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 that it had disabled a Curacao-flagged commercial tanker named Belma that was transiting international waters of the Persian Gulf toward Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export terminal. According to CENTCOM, the vessel ignored repeated warnings while attempting to violate the naval blockade; a US aircraft fired a missile into the ship's smokestack to disable it. It is the first vessel disabled since the blockade of Iran's ports was reimposed on Tuesday. CENTCOM said that in the first 24 hours of enforcement it redirected two compliant commercial vessels and disabled one non-compliant vessel. The move sharpens enforcement of a blockade aimed directly at Iran's oil export lifeline and could feed into global oil prices and the domestic currency market.

Stars and Stripes · Jul 16, 2026

US turns back two commercial vessels in first enforcement of Iran blockade near Hormuz

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that in the first enforcement action of its reinstated naval blockade, it "redirected" two commercial vessels attempting to run the blockade of Iranian ports within roughly the first 17 hours after the measure took effect on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. The renewed blockade marks the effective end of the June 17 memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington. According to tanker-tracking firm TankerTrackers, Iran used its shadow fleet to export about 50 million barrels of crude in June and around 10 million barrels in a single day last week. Washington's earlier blockade, from mid-April to mid-June, curbed much, though not all, of Iran's oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz. Alongside the continued strikes, the developments pushed oil higher for a third straight session, with Brent trading around 85 dollars a barrel on Wednesday, July 15.

Fortune · Jul 15, 2026

Iran foreign ministry spokesman: no plans for talks now, focus is on defense

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, that Tehran "has no plans for negotiations at present and is focused on defense." He added that Iran no longer considers itself bound by the June 17 memorandum of understanding with Washington, citing what he called repeated US violations of its commitments. On the same day, parliament speaker and senior negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf struck a somewhat different note, saying Iran must keep defending itself while also using "diplomacy and negotiations to advance and consolidate national interests," though he stressed Iran has no reason to stay committed to a deal from which it gains nothing. The remarks came amid a fifth day of US strikes on Iran and the reinstated naval blockade of its ports. In Tehran's open market that day, the free-market US dollar jumped about 2.2 percent to around 188,000 tomans.

APA · Jul 15, 2026

Iran parliament research center: summer 2026 power deficit to reach 13,640 megawatts in realistic scenario

In a report on summer electricity supply, the research arm of Iran's parliament said the gap between supply and demand at peak consumption will reach about 13,640 megawatts under a realistic scenario, close to one fifth of available supply at the moment of greatest load. The report put maximum simultaneous supply at about 68,420 megawatts and peak network demand above 81,000 megawatts. The center added that the shortfall would be around 10,000 megawatts in the most optimistic case and nearly 18,000 megawatts in the worst. Damage to self-supplied power plants during the recent conflict has taken part of the capacity offline, deepening chronic power shortages. The report was published as rolling blackouts began in Tehran.

خبرگزاری UNI هند / United News of India · Jul 15, 2026

US Treasury hits Shamkhani oil and shipping network with sweeping sanctions; over 50 individuals, firms and vessels

On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, the US Treasury imposed fresh sanctions on a network tied to Iranian oil trader Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, adding more than 50 individuals, companies and vessels to its blacklist. Treasury said the number of designated people and entities in the network has now passed 200, calling it one of its largest sanctions packages targeting Iran's oil-shipping sector in recent years. According to Treasury, the network used shell companies and foreign passports to conceal sales of sanctioned Iranian oil. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also said the department froze $130 million held in digital wallets linked to Iran's central bank. The move followed the collapse of an interim truce between Tehran and Washington and the resumption of the naval blockade of Iranian ports.

وزارت خزانه‌داری آمریکا / U.S. Department of the Treasury · Jul 15, 2026

Revolutionary Guard threatens to halt the region's oil and gas exports; reports of at least 7 troops killed in Wednesday's strikes

The Associated Press reported on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened to halt energy exports from the region in response to the US naval blockade. The Guard's statement said: the export of oil and gas from the region will be either for everyone or for no one. The threat came after the US reimposed its naval blockade of Iran on Wednesday and intensified its air campaign. According to the AP, citing Iranian officials, the US strikes hit an Iranian army barracks, killing at least 7 troops and wounding more than 260 people across the country. The Strait of Hormuz and the region's waterways carry a large share of the world's oil, and such threats raise risk in global energy markets.

The Washington Times (AP) · Jul 15, 2026

Free-market dollar tops 187,000 tomans at Wednesday's close; gold and coin also set fresh highs

Iran's domestic currency and gold markets extended their climb through Wednesday's close on 15 July 2026 (24 Tir 1405). The free-market dollar, quoted near 186,700 tomans that morning, pushed past 187,000 tomans by the afternoon, reaching 187,495 tomans according to Etemad Online; Sahmino's own price board showed an intraday rate near 188,200 tomans, up about 2.2 percent on the day and the highest level in a month. In the gold market, each gram of 18-karat gold rose about 2.8 percent to enter the 18-million-toman range at roughly 18.4 million tomans, while the Emami coin gained a similar amount to near 186 million tomans. The surge stems mainly from the weakening rial amid the Strait of Hormuz crisis and the continuing US and Iran military confrontation. On the same day, the Tehran Stock Exchange's main index bucked the parallel markets, falling about 0.6 percent to stay below 4.9 million points.

اعتماد آنلاین · Jul 15, 2026

Domestic car prices edge higher Wednesday; manual Tara reaches 2.05 billion tomans

In Iran's open car market on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, alongside a weaker rial and a higher exchange rate, prices of several Iran Khodro and Saipa models rose. The manual Tara V1 Plus climbed 50 million tomans from the previous day to 2.05 billion tomans, and the Sahand S rose 20 million tomans, while the Atlas was offered 60 million tomans cheaper. The Peugeot 207 with a TU3 engine was quoted by sellers at 1.63 billion tomans and the six-speed Dena Plus at 2.1 billion tomans. The automatic Tara V4 held unchanged at 2.65 billion tomans. Market participants attribute part of the swings to the pass-through of currency gains into the car market.

فرارو · Jul 15, 2026

Tehran bourse falls again on Wednesday; the main index stays below 4.9 million points

The Tehran Stock Exchange's main index (TEDPIX) closed on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, down about 31,000 points (0.63 percent) at 4,893,000, extending its decline to a fifth consecutive trading session. On Tuesday the index had closed at about 4,924,000 points. The drop came on a day when the free-market dollar reached around 187,000 tomans and 18-carat gold entered the 18-million-toman channel, a sign of liquidity rotating toward parallel markets amid regional tensions. Selling pressure and an outflow of retail money have been the main drivers of the equity market's retreat in recent days.

شبکه اطلاع‌رسانی طلا و ارز (TGJU) · Jul 15, 2026

Iran's parliament tables 'Strategic Action Plan' bill to secure and control the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf

Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said on Tuesday, July 14, in a post on X that a bill titled the "Strategic Action Plan for Ensuring Security and Sustainable Development of the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf" had been formally introduced and received in an open session of parliament. He said the bill's introduction coincided with the downing of several US drones in the region. Azizi stressed that Iran remains committed to defending its "red lines," particularly on managing the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply passes. The legislative move comes amid the deepening Strait of Hormuz crisis and the naval blockade of Iranian ports, and could bear on the outlook for oil supply and energy markets. Formally receiving a bill is the first procedural step of parliamentary review and does not mean final approval.

Press TV · Jul 15, 2026

18-karat gold enters the 18-million-toman range Wednesday; Emami coin near 184 million tomans

Iran's domestic gold and coin market rose on Wednesday, 15 July 2026 (24 Tir 1405). A gram of 18-karat gold opened trading near 17.9 million tomans and climbed to about 18.2 million tomans by midday, up roughly 1.8 percent from the previous day. The full Emami coin gained about 1.7 percent to around 184 million tomans, and its premium (bubble) widened to nearly 7 million tomans. The main driver was the weakening rial and the free-market dollar's rise to a one-month high, while the global gold ounce hovered around 4,050 dollars.

فرارو · Jul 15, 2026

Free-market dollar climbs toward 186,700 tomans Wednesday, a fresh one-month high

The free-market US dollar extended its rise on Wednesday, 15 July 2026 (24 Tir 1405), reaching its highest level in a month. Trading opened around 184,100 tomans and the rate climbed to roughly 186,700 tomans by midday, up about 1.4 percent (around 2,600 tomans) from the previous day. The agreed-rate (tavafoqi) dollar traded in the same range, near 186,700 tomans. The intensifying military standoff between Iran and the United States over the Strait of Hormuz, together with the continued naval blockade of Iranian ports, has added to pressure on the rial in recent days. The free-market dollar has roughly doubled compared with the same date a year earlier.

فرارو · Jul 15, 2026

Iranian Oil Piles Up in Floating Storage off Asia; China's Crude Imports From Iran More Than Halved in June

With the US naval blockade back in force, Iran is finding it harder to sell its crude to its main customer, China. According to ship-tracking data, China's imports of Iranian crude more than halved in June from the prior month to about 654,000 barrels a day; independent Chinese refiners, Iran's main buyers, have cut purchases, while state-owned refiners have stayed on the sidelines amid banks' concerns over secondary US sanctions. As a result, a large volume of unsold Iranian oil has accumulated on tankers in Asian waters, with more than 20 million barrels idling for seven days or longer. The delay in selling this crude reduces Tehran's hard-currency revenue and weakens its hand in negotiations with Washington.

Baird Maritime · Jul 15, 2026

US Strikes Iran for a Fourth Day; IRGC Retaliates Against American Bases in Bahrain and Kuwait

US forces struck targets inside Iran for a fourth consecutive day on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, hitting coastal areas including Bushehr and Bandar Abbas; Washington said the operation aimed to degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping. US Central Command said the naval blockade of Iran's ports was reinstated at 4 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, with more than 20 warships and hundreds of military aircraft operating in the region. In response, Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) said it targeted US military bases in Bahrain and Kuwait with missiles and drones. The escalation, the largest since a June ceasefire, has rattled energy markets and heightened concern over disruption to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

Al Jazeera · Jul 15, 2026

US carries out third night of strikes on Iran as naval blockade of Iranian ports takes effect

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it had concluded a third consecutive night of airstrikes on Iran, hitting targets in Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa and Bandar Abbas. Iranian media reported explosions in the port city of Bandar Abbas and on the islands of Kish, Qeshm and Abu Musa. CENTCOM also said its naval blockade of ships travelling to and from Iranian ports resumed at 4 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday. The move follows the collapse of last month's ceasefire and centres on control of the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway through which about a fifth of the world's oil passes. For Iran's markets, the significance lies in the direct pressure on the country's oil exports and on global energy prices.

Gulf News · Jul 15, 2026

Free-market dollar climbs near 183,000 tomans Tuesday, extending its rise to a one-month high

The US dollar on Tehran's free market extended its climb on Tuesday, 14 July (23 Tir), reaching about 183,000 tomans in afternoon trade, its highest level in a month. The dollar had opened the session near 181,000 tomans and gained through the day. Pressure on the rial has persisted as the military tensions between Iran and the United States intensify and uncertainty over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continues. The same trend has lifted domestic gold and coin prices in recent days.

اکو ایران · Jul 15, 2026

Tehran power utility: rolling blackouts in the capital to begin Wednesday, July 15

Tehran's Electricity Distribution Company announced that, because of a significant rise in temperature and a considerable increase in power consumption in the capital, restrictions and rolling blackouts will begin in Tehran from Wednesday, July 15, 2026. The decision comes as a summer heatwave adds to strain on the national grid. Earlier, consumption limits had already been imposed on energy intensive industries, putting pressure on sectors such as steel and cement.

CGTN · Jul 14, 2026

Kish Island power plant damaged in US strike; temporary blackouts possible for repairs

Iran's IRNA news agency reported that the power plant on Kish Island in the Persian Gulf was damaged in a US missile strike on the night of Monday, July 13, 2026. The Kish Water and Power Engineering Company said a projectile that exploded near the plant altered the technical parameters of several units, and experts are assessing the damage. According to the report, some generators may be taken offline for repairs, which could lead to scheduled temporary blackouts; even so, the island's water and electricity supply had continued without interruption as of Tuesday evening, July 14. Several vessels in the port area were also damaged, and no casualties or damage to residential or commercial buildings were reported.

Azernews · Jul 14, 2026

Araghchi responds to Trump's toll plan: Iran is the eternal guardian of Hormuz; 20% is too much, we will be fair

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, responding to Donald Trump's plan to charge a 20% toll on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, wrote on Monday, July 13, 2026, that Iran "has always been the guardian of the Strait and will remain so forever." In a mocking tone he added that the US president is "absolutely right" that whoever secures safe passage through the waterway should be compensated, but "20% is of course too much; we will be fair." The remarks came after Trump described the US as the "guardian of the Hormuz Strait" and announced the 20% cargo toll, a plan he backed away from a day later, on Tuesday, July 14. The ceasefire memorandum signed between Iran and the US in mid-June had prohibited any charges on commercial ships in the strait. The Strait of Hormuz carries about one fifth of the world's oil and gas, and developments there feed directly into oil prices and Iran's currency and gold markets.

Fortune · Jul 14, 2026

Tehran Stock Exchange falls for a fourth straight session; main index holds below 5 million on a 1.75% drop

The Tehran Stock Exchange's main index (TEDPIX) closed on Tuesday, 14 July 2026, down about 1.75 percent, shedding nearly 89,000 points to around 4,967,000 units, and held below the 5 million mark for a fourth consecutive session. The sell-off was accompanied by an outflow of roughly 4,000 billion tomans of retail (real) money from the market. Analysts cited political and regional risks, worry over tension in the Strait of Hormuz, and the prospect of higher interest rates as the main drivers of the continued decline. Even so, some groups such as pharmaceuticals showed signs of returning demand. The same day's jump in the free-market dollar above 180,000 tomans has pulled part of retail liquidity out of equities and toward the currency and gold markets.

روزنامه تعادل · Jul 14, 2026

64 kg of gold bars sold at Tuesday's Exchange Center auction; average 9.346 billion tomans per bar

Iran's Currency and Gold Exchange Center (Markaz Mobadeleh) held its 116th gold bar auction on Tuesday, 14 July 2026 (23 Tir 1405). Of the 115 kilograms of gold bars offered, 64 kilograms were sold for more than 598 billion tomans, at an average price of 9.346 billion tomans per standard bar. According to the report, 19 gold bar auctions have been held at the Exchange Center since the start of the Iranian year 1405, selling a combined 1,506 kilograms for 13,253 billion tomans. The auctions are a government tool to meet market gold demand and calm prices, and they come on days when the free market dollar has climbed above 180,000 tomans. About 51 kilograms of the bars offered went unsold, pointing to less than full buyer appetite at these price levels.

صدای بورس · Jul 14, 2026

18-carat gold and the Emami coin rise in Tuesday trading as a weaker rial outweighs a steady global ounce

Domestic gold and coin prices rose on Tuesday, 14 July 2026. Jamejam reported that each gram of 18-carat gold entered the 17.6 million toman range, while Sahmino's price service showed it near 17.8 million toman (up about 0.7 percent) by around 11:35. The Emami coin reached about 179.5 million toman, up roughly 1.4 percent per Sahmino data, and the mesghal of gold sat in the 77 million toman range. The gains came while the global gold ounce hovered near 4,000 dollars, so the main driver of the domestic rise was the weaker rial and the climbing free-market dollar rather than the world price.

جام‌جم آنلاین · Jul 14, 2026

Free-market dollar hits a one-month high, climbing above 180,000 toman in Tuesday trading

The free-market US dollar opened Tuesday, 14 July 2026, at around 180,985 toman, which Fararu reported as its highest level in a month after a gain of roughly 1,300 toman from Monday. According to Sahmino's price service, the dollar extended its rise during morning trading, reaching about 183,700 toman by around 11:34, up roughly 1.5 percent on the day. The move came alongside renewed tension in the Strait of Hormuz and rising uncertainty in the currency market. The agreed-rate (tavafoqi) dollar traded in the same range with a similar gain.

فرارو · Jul 14, 2026

Bloomberg: Iran exported about 57 million barrels of crude between two US blockades

Bloomberg reported on Monday, July 13, 2026 (22 Tir 1405) that Iran exported at least 57 million barrels of crude oil during the gap between two rounds of US naval blockade, about 2.2 million barrels a day, a flow that helped keep global oil prices in check for a time. The estimate landed the same day US President Donald Trump said Washington would restore its blockade of ships entering and leaving Iranian ports and impose a 20 percent charge on other cargoes passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The move came less than a month after an interim deal between the two countries to ease restrictions and lift sanctions on oil sales. Reinstating the blockade puts Iran's oil exports and foreign-currency revenue back under pressure, after earlier reports that a portion of Iran's unsold cargoes had been left idling in Asian waters.

Bloomberg · Jul 14, 2026

Cars

Domestic car prices fell on Monday as Tara and Dena Plus dropped despite the dollar's jump

Iran's domestic car market was mostly lower on Monday, 13 July 2026 (22 Tir 1405), even as the free-market dollar traded above 180,000 toman. The Tara Automatic V4 fell 65 million toman from the previous day to about 2.645 billion toman, and the Dena Plus Automatic dropped 54 million toman to about 2.65 billion toman. The declines came on a day when parallel markets such as gold and foreign currency swung on geopolitical tensions. The car market's divergence from the rising dollar points to weak demand and eroding consumer purchasing power. Market participants say a slump in transactions and low household buying power have muted the effect of currency swings on car prices.

روزنامه تعادل · Jul 13, 2026

Iron & steel

Summer power cuts to industry take hold; steel and cement squeezed by energy shortfall

With the summer 1405 peak-demand season under way, electricity restrictions on industry have been reimposed. According to the Taadol newspaper, producers say the industrial power cut has been eased from two days a week to one. Iran's cement industry association has warned that output could be halted by the cuts, while steel units are also facing severe energy limitations. The electricity and gas imbalance has become one of the main obstacles to production in Iran's energy-intensive industries in recent years, especially steel and cement, resulting in lower output, reduced corporate revenue, and a decline in exports and foreign-exchange earnings.

روزنامه تعادل · Jul 13, 2026

Free-market dollar moves above 180,000 tomans, up about half a percent on Monday

On Monday, 13 July 2026, the free-market US dollar rose about 0.49 percent, from 179,600 to roughly 180,500 tomans, moving above the psychological 180,000-toman mark. Tether traded near 179,800 tomans the same day. On Sahmino's price board, the dollar stood near 180,985 tomans on Monday evening. Market participants say a durable hold above 180,000 could open the way toward 182,000 to 185,000 tomans. Rapid liquidity growth, high inflation, and the gap between the official Exchange Center rate and the free-market rate, alongside the Strait of Hormuz tensions, are cited as factors supporting the currency's rise.

اکو ایران · Jul 13, 2026

Iran's spring 1405 non-oil exports reach $11.7 billion, down 14.4% in value from a year earlier

According to Faroud Asgari, deputy economy minister and head of Iran's Customs Administration (IRICA), the value of the country's non-oil exports in the first quarter of the year 1405 (21 March to 21 June 2026) reached about 11.655 billion dollars. The volume stood at 34.476 million tons, a 9.3 percent drop in weight and a 14.4 percent decline in value compared with the same period last year. The average customs value per ton of exported goods was 338 dollars, down 5.6 percent year-on-year. Petrochemical exports over the period totaled 11.133 million tons worth 4.684 billion dollars, a 24.5 percent decline in value. Liquefied propane at 874 million dollars, liquefied butane at 611 million, methanol at 576 million, petroleum bitumen at 574 million, and natural gas at 456 million led the non-oil export basket.

Tehran Times (IRICA) · Jul 13, 2026

Iranian oil piles up at sea as China's independent refiners turn to regional rivals

According to Reuters, the volume of Iranian oil sitting at sea has risen after Tehran boosted exports during the interim ceasefire, but sales have slowed as China's independent teapot refiners shifted to cheaper crude from Iraq, the UAE and Qatar. China's imports of Iranian oil fell this month to about 556,000 barrels per day, the lowest since January 2023. Vortexa estimates roughly 30 million barrels of Iranian oil were loaded between 15 June and 6 July, equivalent to about 1.35 million barrels per day. Non-Iranian cargoes were offered at discounts of 5 to 8 dollars a barrel to Brent for August and September delivery, while Iranian Light's discount held around 2 to 3 dollars. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed again this week amid the exchange of US-Iran strikes.

Arab News (Reuters) · Jul 13, 2026

Crypto

Tether nears 180,000 toman in Iran's market, tracking the free-market dollar

The price of Tether (USDT) in Iran's domestic market reached about 180,100 toman on Monday, 13 July 2026, sitting close to the free-market dollar, which had neared the 180,000 toman mark the same day. Tether is the most widely used stablecoin and the main on-ramp for Iranians into the global crypto market, and its toman rate typically tracks the floor of the domestic dollar price. The rise comes as regional military tensions and the U.S. revocation of Iran's temporary oil-sale authorization add pressure to the domestic currency market. Tether's global price held near one dollar as usual, so the change in its toman rate reflects the move in the domestic FX market rather than any swing in the token itself.

روزنامه تعادل · Jul 13, 2026

Gold-bar auction at the Exchange Center to be held Tuesday, July 14; margin-deposit deadline is tonight

The 50th gold-bar auction at Iran's Currency and Gold Exchange Center will be held on Tuesday, July 14, 2026 (23 Tir), from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. According to published reports, applicants must deposit a margin of 50 billion rials (5 billion tomans) per bar by midnight on Monday, July 13 (22 Tir), and each applicant may buy at most 25 bars per week. The base price is announced by the seller on auction day, and deals are settled in person and in cash. The auction comes as domestic gold prices have moved into the 17.6 million tomans channel.

جام‌جم آنلاین · Jul 13, 2026

33 listed issuers paid dividends to 3.16 million shareholders through the Sejam system last week

According to Iran's Central Securities Depository (CSDI), 33 listed issuers paid a combined roughly 3,714 billion tomans in current, prior-year, and preemptive-right dividends to 3.16 million shareholders through the Sejam customer-information system last week. The CSDI also said that more than 21,000 billion tomans in dividends were paid to shareholders through Sejam in the first quarter of the 1405 year (spring 2026). Sejam is the official channel for paying dividends directly to identity-verified shareholders, and benefiting from it requires registering and completing one's banking details in the system.

خبرگزاری دانشجو · Jul 13, 2026

Subscription for the "Naqrat" silver fund opens Monday, July 13; minimum entry 100,000 tomans

Subscription for the exchange-traded silver fund "Naqrat" (from the Agah group) opened on Monday, July 13, 2026 (22 Tir) and runs through Wednesday, July 15 (24 Tir). Investors can take part through the trading platforms of all brokerages with a minimum of 100,000 tomans. The fund invests at least 70 percent of its assets in silver bullion deposit certificates and is the latest in a wave of silver funds launched on the Iran Mercantile Exchange; the "Plata" fund was subscribed earlier on Saturday, July 11 (20 Tir). Demand for these funds is building as global silver prices swung, trading around $59 an ounce on Monday, July 13.

روزنامه دنیای اقتصاد · Jul 13, 2026

Tehran Stock Exchange index falls for a third straight session, slipping below 5 million points

The Tehran Stock Exchange's main index (TEDPIX) fell for a third straight trading session on Monday, July 13, 2026, dropping about 89,000 points (1.79 percent) to around 4,967,000 and slipping below the psychological 5 million point level. The equal weighted index fell 0.88 percent and the Iran Farabourse index lost 1.43 percent. The decline extended losses from Saturday and Sunday; on Sunday, July 12, the main index had shed about 126,000 points to roughly 5,050,000. Market participants cite the escalation of regional military tensions and uncertainty over the status of the Strait of Hormuz as the main drivers of selling pressure and the outflow of retail money from equities.

ره‌آورد ۳۶۵ · Jul 13, 2026

Steel leads Iran Mercantile Exchange trade; steel ingot turnover tops 13 trillion tomans

According to Iran Mercantile Exchange trading data for the 6 to 19 Tir 1405 period, steel ingot, rebar and copper were the three products with the highest transaction value in the physical market, while cement, steel ingot and iron ore concentrate led by traded volume. Steel ingot turnover reached about 13,908 billion tomans in the period, making it the most valuable product in the exchange's physical market.

روزنامه تعادل · Jul 13, 2026